Big Ten Week 13 roundup: Michigan takes the East, updated Big Ten standings and bowl eligibility

After 13 weeks, the Big Ten regular season is officially in the books. Two teams remain in contention for the Big Ten championship. From the East, the Michigan Wolverines will get their chance to defend their crown and go for a threepeat at the top of the Big Ten. From the West, it will be Iowa looking to use its defense to score a massive upset that could shake up the entire landscape of the College Football Playoff.

The final weekend of Big Ten football as we know it packed plenty of drama and tension from start to finish.

Here is a look at everything that went down around the Big Ten in the final week of the regular season, the final regular season Big Ten football standings, and the confirmed list of Big Ten teams that are eligible for postseason bowl games.

Michigan 30, Ohio State 24

The game of the year in the Big Ten delivered on the anticipated drama as Michigan won its third straight game over rival Ohio State to clinch a third consecutive Big Ten East crown and earn a third consecutive trip to the Big Ten championship game. And a third straight trip to the College Football Playoff may be all but official for the Wolverines as well.

Ohio State had opportunities to leave Ann Arbor with a win but the Buckeyes didn’t get the breaks it needed. Kyle McCord was picked off on the third offensive series for Ohio State to give Michigan the football at the 7-yard line. Blake Corum scored from the one-yard line on fourth down four plays later. Ohio State missed a 52-yard field goal at the end of the first half to trail 14-10 at halftime. The teams exchanged scoring drives to start the second half and were tied at 17-17 before Michigan went on a run to go up 27-17.

Down 30-24 with the football one last time, McCord was intercepted by Rod Moore in Michigan territory in the final minute, which was upheld by a video replay review, and J.J. McCarthy took a knee to run out the remainder of the game clock.

Michigan went 3-0 in this three-game stretch without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines due to a Big Ten suspension. Harbaugh will return to the Michigan sideline next week for the Big Ten championship game.

Ryan Day and the Buckeyes will have to hope the selection committee keeps them in the playoff hunt as they did a year ago under similar circumstances. With one close road loss to Michigan, Ohio State could still be playoff bound. But for now, we’ll wait and see.

Next up for Michigan: Big Ten Championship Game vs. Iowa

Iowa 13, Nebraska 10

It is fair to say that Iowa won this game in the most Iowa way possible while Nebraska lost it in the most Nebraska way possible. Both are true! Iowa won a defensive battle, which it is known to do, Both teams intercepted a pass in the final minute of the game and Iowa kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for the win.

Iowa already had its spot in the Big Ten championship game next week locked in, so the result of this game meant nothing for the Hawkeyes as far as the division is concerned. The only way Iowa will likely play in the New Years Six may be to win the Big Ten title next weekend, but the future of the program beyond this season will be interesting to watch.

As for Nebraska, this was as gut-wrenching as they can come. After reaching a record of 5-3, all Nebraska had to do to clinch long-awaited bowl eligibility was win one game against Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, or Iowa. Instead, they lost all four, each by a one-score margin. Nebraska’s bowl drought will now extend to seven straight years under three different head coaches. The last time Nebraska went seven years without a bowl berth was from 1955 through 1961.

Next up for Iowa: Big Ten Championship Game vs. Michigan

Penn State 42, Michigan State 0

Penn State did what it needed to do in its final game of the regular season in order to keep their New Years Six bowl hopes alive. Penn State was better than Michigan State in every facet of the game on offense and defense in their first ever Black Friday matchup, and the Nittany Lions ended up cruising to victory. This was the third shutout of the year pitched by Penn State, and second in Big Ten play this season (Iowa).

Penn State finally got a 100-yard game out of running back Nick Singleton and a second out of Kaytron Allen, and Drew Allar looked comfortable after being knocked out last week against Rutgers.

Penn State will now wait to see where they will be ranked by the selection committee and whether or not it will ultimately be enough to be invited to play in a New Years Six bowl game. Those odds do look promising, but it is a waiting game now with nothing left to do on the field.

Michigan State turned the page toward the future a day after the game with the official hiring of Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith to take over as head coach moving forward.

Wisconsin 28, Minnesota 14

Wisconsin stopped a two-game losing streak to rival Minnesota behind the strength of running back Braelon Allen. Allen rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns as Wisconsin took possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe and blocked the Gophers from bowl eligibility.

Wisconsin already clinched bowl eligibility a week ago so now they can begin to look forward to whichever bowl game invites them to compete. This season may not have gone as many had hoped under new head coach Luke Fickell, but a chance to end the year with a bowl victory could help set the tone for the offseason heading into a brand new Big Ten in 2024.

Minnesota failed to reach the six-win minimum for bowl eligibility but will hold out hope for a bowl spot to be left vacant. Otherwise, PJ Fleck and his staff will have plenty to work on heading into next season after falling well short of expectations in 2023.

Northwestern 45, Illinois 43

Needing a win at home against Northwestern to go bowling, the Illini were unable to protect a fourth quarter lead. A 10-second span with Northwestern took a 35-31 lead early in the forth quarter on a Ben Bryant touchdown run of eight yards. And the Wildcats recovered and returned an Illini fumble on the ensuing possession for a defensive touchdown to take a stunning 42-31 lead. But Illinois battled back and nearly had a chance to get the game into overtime.

John Paddock completed a pass to Casey Washington for an 80-yard touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter but a two-point conversion to tie the game failed, and Northwestern held on for the wild win.

Illinois had four turnovers in the mist-win game. The Illini will now stay at home for the bowl season and focus on improving for the 2024 season. Northwestern will continue its season with a bowl game few expected at the beginning of the year.

Purdue 35, Indiana 31

Hudson Card had three passing touchdowns in Purdue’s rivalry win over Indiana, thus ensuring Purdue would not have the worst record in the Big Ten a year after playing for the Big Ten championship.

Indiana quarterback Brendan Sorsby had three passing touchdowns but was also intercepted three times in the loss. Indiana also was penalized twice as much as Purdue and was outscored 17-3 in the fourth quarter.

Neither team will be going to a bowl game this season, and there could be some discussions about the future leadership of the Hoosiers after a brutal season in Bloomington under Tom Allen. Since the 2020 season, Indiana has continued to trend in a downward direction.

Maryland 42, Rutgers 24

Taulia Tagovailoa and Maryland wasted no time establishing themselves on the road against Rutgers. Maryland jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first quarter and never really had a reason to look back the rest of the way. Tagovailoa passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

The good news for Rutgers is the were already set to go to a bowl game despite a rough end to the regular season. Maryland had some bumps down the stretch as well, but both teams will hope to pick up a win this bowl season for the Big Ten.

Final Big Ten Football Standings

EAST DIVISION

* = Big Ten East Division champion

WEST DIVISION

* = Big Ten West Division champion

Bowl Eligibility Tracker

BOWL ELIGIBLE

• Iowa

• Maryland

• Michigan

• Northwestern

• Ohio State

• Penn State

• Rutgers

• Wisconsin

INELIGIBLE

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Michigan State

• Minnesota

• Nebraska

• Purdue

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire